Vinted's Small Plates 'A Natural Fit' For West Hartford

December 27, 2012|By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant, The Hartford Courant

Mention The Federal to any fan of the western Massachusetts dining destination and chances are the response will contain the phrase "risotto balls," probably punctuated by a lustful groan.

The 10-year-old Agawam restaurant is known for its imaginative and playful cuisine, but the bucket of globes dusted with Parmesan and drizzled with truffle butter is by far its signature appetizer. With the November opening of Vinted Wine Bar in West Hartford's Blue Back Square by Federal's owners Ralph Santaniello and Michael Presnal, the risotto balls – and much more – have made their way to Connecticut.

In the past year and a half, several Nutmeg State-based restaurants have expanded into the Western Massachusetts market, among them Plan B Burger Bar (Springfield,) Max Burger (Longmeadow) and McLadden's Irish Publick House (Hampden.) And while Santaniello and Presnal are making the reverse commute, their move was based on a strong, loyal customer base they have built since earning a four-star review from Northeast Magazine in 2003.

"At least 40, if not 50 percent, of our reservations are from [phone numbers with] area code 860," said Santaniello.

Over time, Federal's diners began to drop hints, telling the owners, "You've got to be in West Hartford."

"We're big fans of West Hartford," Santaniello said. "It seemed like a natural fit to us, and [we] felt like it was the place we wanted to be."

This gave them the confidence to open their new wine bar with small plates in Blue Back Square, taking over the space that once housed Uncorked. Vinted retains the WineStation machines Uncorked had introduced to the region, technology that allows wines to be preserved at precise temperatures and dispensed in one, three or six-ounce pours.

General manager Gary Evangelista describes the menu as "American contemporary tapas," with a variety of plates and portions ranging from snack-size to half-entrees. The offerings are separated into "hot" and "cold" categories, with a separate selection of nearly a dozen meats and cheeses and a "sweets" section of whimsical desserts.

With items priced at $3.50 to $13.50, "it gives people an opportunity to order a number of things and kind of eat communally," Evangelista said. "[This] allows people to maybe start their night off here, finish their night off here, or [for Vinted to] be a dining destination."

There was a lot of work to be done first, though. Though the owners retained much of Uncorked's look and feel – with the addition of bar seats by the wine machines for better visibility and interaction with servers – the kitchen needed a full overhaul. An intricate construction project helped convert the heating source from electric to gas; Santaniello admits this was a significant investment of time and money.

But it's allowed them to design the exact menu concepts they envisioned. Presnal, who now splits his time as executive chef in Agawam and West Hartford, has infused his trademark creative style into the wine bar's new menu.

"A lot of what he does is a play on words," Santaniello said of his brother-in-law. "While he takes the food seriously, he tries to present it in a fun way."

At Vinted, this translates into lively re-imaginations of classics: beet carpaccio with Gorgonzola dolce; a Greek salad with garlic shrimp, feta mousse and fried oregano and French onion soup with braised oxtail, marrow bone, French onion broth and Gruyere toast. Veal saltimbocca with prosciutto and sage uses tender cheeks instead of chops, and it's "flown out the door," Santaniello said.

Steak tartare features a quail egg and spicy Dijon mustard; tuna carpaccio is presented with "liquid guacamole" and yuzu "snow"; seared salmon belly takes on a Spanish accent with cockles, chorizo ragout and saffron aioli and "stained" confit chicken wings are flavored with Jamaican vinaigrette and cilantro. Large sea scallops are served with braised short rib and pickled ginger slaw.

Feedback has been excellent, Santaniello said — and motivating. "They love the size of the plates…they'll say, "I got to try half the menu; I've got to come back to try the other half. We know we have to keep the menu fresh, but that keeps it interesting."